Roche Pharma India has launched Tecentriq® (atezolizumab) SC in India, the country’s first subcutaneous (under-the-skin) immunotherapy for lung cancer that can be administered in approximately 7 minutes, compared to conventional IV infusions that can take hours.
By reducing treatment administration time to approximately 7 minutes, Tecentriq SC is a breakthrough innovation that has the potential to dramatically improve the cancer treatment experience of patients – reducing treatment time by ~80%, lowering indirect treatment costs, minimising the need to travel long distances, and enabling caregivers to spend less time in hospitals and more time doing what they love.
Global studies also indicate strong patient preference for subcutaneous administration:
- 4 out of 5 patients preferred Tecentriq SC over IV administration, according to results from the IMscin002 study presented at the European Lung Cancer Congress (ELCC) 2024
- Patients cited less time in the clinic, greater comfort and lower emotional distress as key reasons for preference
- Studies have also shown that subcutaneous administration is associated with less discomfort, pain, and irritation compared to IV administration
- In the IMscin001 study presented at ESMO 2023, 90% of healthcare professionals agreed the SC formulation was easy to administer, while 75% believed it could save time for healthcare teams
Dr Sajjan Rajpurohit, Director and Head of Medical Oncology at Medanta, said, “Immunotherapy has transformed the treatment landscape for people living with cancer, but conventional IV administration can be long and arduous for patients while also placing significant pressure on tertiary care hospitals. Repeated hospital visits and long treatment hours add to the emotional and physical burden of cancer care. Subcutaneous administration can allow patients to be treated much more quickly and easily, improving their overall treatment experience while reducing waiting times and treatment delays.”
Commenting on the launch, Roche Pharma India MD & CEO Rajwinder (Rajji) Mehdwan said, “The launch of Tecentriq SC reflects our continued commitment to improving access to advanced cancer care through solutions that are faster, more convenient, support patient-centric outcomes and importantly enable health systems to be more efficient and effective in providing cancer care”.
Tecentriq SC is the first and only PD-(L)1 inhibitor globally with both intravenous (IV) and subcutaneous (SC) formulations across multiple cancers. First approved by the MHRA in 2023 and subsequently by the USFDA in 2024, Tecentriq SC is now approved in more than 85 countries, with over 10,000 patients benefited globally. Clinical studies have demonstrated comparable efficacy and safety to IV Tecentriq while enabling a significantly faster and more convenient treatment experience. In India, Tecentriq SC as of now is approved by DCGI for adjuvant & metastatic Lung Cancer (NSCLC).
